Sigma Chi Corp. v. Westchester Fire Insurance

587 F. Supp. 2d 891, 2008 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 86026, 2008 WL 4722295
CourtDistrict Court, N.D. Illinois
DecidedOctober 22, 2008
Docket08 C 767
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 587 F. Supp. 2d 891 (Sigma Chi Corp. v. Westchester Fire Insurance) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, N.D. Illinois primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Sigma Chi Corp. v. Westchester Fire Insurance, 587 F. Supp. 2d 891, 2008 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 86026, 2008 WL 4722295 (N.D. Ill. 2008).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM OPINION AND ORDER

RUBEN CASTILLO, District Judge.

Plaintiffs/Counterdefendants, Sigma Chi Corporation and Sigma Chi Foundation (collectively “Sigma Chi”) filed this diversity lawsuit seeking a declaration that Defendant/Counterplaintiff, Westchester Fire Insurance Company (“Westchester Fire”) is in breach of contract by denying coverage under a management liability policy and that such denial violates Section 155 of the Illinois Insurance Code. 215 ILCS. 5/155. (R. 1, Compl.) Westchester Fire counterclaimed, seeking a declaration that it had no liability under the policy. (R. 10, Ans. and Countercl.) Presently before the Court is Westchester Fire’s motion for judgment on the pleadings. (R. 24, West-chester’s Mot. for J. on the Pleadings (“Westchester’s Mot.”)) For the following reasons, the motion is granted in part and denied in part.

RELEVANT FACTS 1

I. The Westchester Fire Policy

Westchester Fire issued a Management Liability policy to Sigma Chi for the period of September 28, 2006 to September 28, 2007 (“the Policy”). (R. 10, Countercl., Ex. 4-A). The Policy covers “Management Liability” and “Employment Practices Liability” and has an aggregate limit of $5,000,0000 and a $10,000 retention for each claim. (Id.)

The claims at issue are based on provisions contained in the section of the Policy providing Management Liability coverage. Relevant portions from this section include:

*893 I.A.3. Company Liability. The Insurer shall pay the Loss of the Company which the Company becomes legally obligated to pay by reason of a Claim first made against it and reported to the Insurer during the Policy Period or, if elected, the Extended Reporting Period, for any Wrongful Acts taking place prior to the end of the Policy Period.
II.BB. Wrongful Act. Any error, misstatement, misleading statement, act, omission, neglect, or breach of duty actually or allegedly committed or attempted by the Company with respect to Insuring Agreement A2, Company Liability.
II.P. Loss. Loss means the damages, judgments, any award of pre-judgment and post-judgment interest, settlements and Defense Costs which the Insured becomes legally obligated to pay on account of any Claim first made against the Insured during the Policy Period ... for Wrongful Acts to which this Policy applies ...

Id. (emphasis in original).

The exclusion at issue is contained in section III.L.l. of the Policy and provides:

The following exclusions shall apply to any Claim covered, in whole or in part, under Insuring Agreement A, Directors’ and Officers Liability:

1. Contract or Agreement
alleging, based upon, arising out of, or attributable to the actual or alleged breach of any oral, written, express, or implied contract or agreement. However, this exclusion shall not apply to the extent that liability would have attached to the Company in the absence of such contract or agreement, or where such Claim is covered entirely under Insuring Agreement Al, Directors’ and Officers’ Liability and A2, Company Reimbursement, and no part of such Claim is covered under Insuring Agreement A3, Company Liability.

II. The Underlying Claims

Daniel Walker (“Walker”), the former Intellectual Technology Manager for Sigma Chi, executed various purchase orders, financing agreements and service agreements with IBM Credit Corporation (“IBM Credit”) and Network System Technologies, Inc., d/b/a/ Incentra Solutions of Illinois (“Incentra”) for hardware, software and consulting services. (R. 30, Am. Compl., Ex. B at 2.) In January 2007, after Walker’s resignation, Sigma Chi notified both IBM Credit and Incentra that various purchase orders, financing agreements and service agreements were not valid because Walker had no actual or apparent authority to serve as an agent of Sigma Chi and was not authorized to execute the agreements. (Id.)

IBM Credit notified Sigma Chi that it was in default of various agreements in the sum of $1,490,604.00. (R. 30, Am. ComplA 6.) Sigma Chi submitted the underlying claim from IBM Credit to West-chester Fire, however, Westchester Fire denied coverage. (Id. ¶ 13 & Ex. A.) In-centra also notified Sigma Chi that it was in breach of various agreements in the amount of $108,459.93. (Id. ¶ 7.) Sigma Chi submitted the underlying claims from Incentra to Westchester Fire and these claims were also denied. (Id. ¶ 15.)

On September 17, 2007, after Sigma Chi protested the IBM Credit and Incentra claims, Westchester Fire agreed to withdraw its previous denials of coverage for both claims and meet with counsel from Sigma Chi to discuss the issue. (Id. ¶ 16.) During the meeting, Sigma Chi provided Westchester Fire with a statement of legal costs that the company had incurred for the defense of these claims. (Id.) On October 26, 2007, Westchester Fire sent a letter to Sigma Chi stating it would review *894 the invoices submitted and “fund reasonable and necessary costs, charges, fees and expenses in accordance with the terms of the Policy.” {Id. Ex. B.) The letter also stated, “Westchester Fire will agree that a single $10,000 Retention will apply at this time.” {Id.) Westchester Fire, nevertheless, reserved the right to file a declaratory action to clarify coverage and stated that its action should not be construed as a waiver of rights under the Policy. {Id.) On November 19, 2007, Westchester Fire reversed its previous decision and again denied coverage for the IBM Credit and Incentra claims made by Sigma Chi. West-chester Fire also declared to Sigma Chi its intention to file a declaratory action on this issue. {Id. ¶ 18.)

PROCEDURAL HISTORY

On February 4, 2008, Sigma Chi filed a declaratory judgment suit in this Court on the basis of diversity jurisdiction alleging breach of contract and violations of Section 155 of the Illinois Insurance Code. (R. 1, Compl.) Westchester Fire counterclaimed, seeking a declaration that it had no duty to indemnify Sigma Chi for damages or defense expenses from the IBM Credit and Incentra claims. (R. 10, Answer and Countercl.) Sigma Chi was granted leave to file an amended complaint, and did so on July 21, 2008. (R. 29; R. 30.) Currently before the Court is Westchester Fire’s motion for judgment on the pleadings pursuant to Federal Rule of Procedure 12(c). (R. 24, Westchester’s Mot.) Specifically, Westchester Fire argues that judgment on the pleadings is proper because: (1) Illinois law and basic policy interpretation provide that liability policies do not cover breach of contract damages; (2) the plain language of the policy precludes coverage; and (3) penalties under Section 155 of the Illinois Insur-anee Code are unwarranted because it acted in good faith in addressing coverage for the underlying claims. {Id.)

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Bluebook (online)
587 F. Supp. 2d 891, 2008 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 86026, 2008 WL 4722295, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/sigma-chi-corp-v-westchester-fire-insurance-ilnd-2008.